Critical Thinking Formation in the Scope of Connectivism

Abstract

Critical thinking (CT) formation is a complex and abstract process that hasn’t been studied comprehensively by any existing learning model today. Connectivism, a new learning theory of the information era, provides brand new perspectives to learning, thus has gained considerable attention. The purpose of this study is to examine CT formation in the scope of cognitivism by contrasting this theory to the previous learning theories. This study used the key concepts of chaos, network model, ecology, flow inhibitors, and flow accelerators in connectivism to illuminate some areas of the formation of critical thinking that have not been examined fully. In the scope of connectivism, this study also provides constructive suggestions to teachers to facilitate students’ critical thinking cultivation, i.e., introducing some learning materials that might trigger students’ critical analyzing; evaluating students’ learning procedure from a network perspective; paying more attention to students’ CT disposition development and establishing healthy CT ecology, etc.